Word Count → 371
:3
Sage remained where she was, unmoving, hoping to extend some of her own warm to Talitha with her constant, soft touch. Accordingly, her cousin fell into her embrace, thin arms wrapping around Sage's torso. A small hand found the auburn girl's back and rubbed there gently, trying to comfort her, while another reached up to pet her head with another soft hand. Sage could feel the muscles of her older cousin tensing and releasing as she sobbed into the young Lykoi girl's shoulder. Sad, empathetic yellow eyes looked down at the thin girl in her arms, and Sage's head fell into brief rest upon Talitha's.
Moments later, she seemed to regret her emotional expulsion, and tore away from Sage (much to her dismay), rubbing her eyes and apologizing in a completely unnecessary manner. Sage shook her head gently, worried eyes watching her cousin. "No, no...it's fine, really," she murmured, dreamy voice nearly a whisper.
Talitha sat up, and Sage straightened her own body in suit, hands collapsing to her lap, grasping one another as she watched the curly-headed girl patiently. Talitha reached for Sage's sketchbook, and the hippie Lykoi did not stop her. Why should she? There was nothing to be ashamed of, in there. In fact, she had been proud of most of the work she'd done recently; her modesty simply kept her from sharing it often.
"Are you a musician too?" Talitha wondered, eyes still focused on the pages of the book in her now cross-legged lap.
Sage's own eyes sought for eye contact again; it was like another drug, for her. After all, eyes were the windows to the soul. But Talitha kept hers hidden, now, and Sage frowned to herself. Her own sun-colored eyes roamed as she gave a willing reply. If Talitha was happier to change the subject, Sage would of course agree to it.
"Not really," she admitted, "I like to sing a bit..." Now that she thought about it, both Clover and China played instruments of their own. Maybe Sage should practice her singing more. "My sisters play, though. A reed pipe and a guitar." Sage turned her eyes back again, hoping now to catch crimson ones, smile returning to her lips. "What about you?"
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